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Binglingsi Grottoes
Binglingsi is located in smaller Jishi
Mountain, 35 kilometers south-west of Yongjing county in
Gansu province. "Bingling" means "thousand
Buddhas" or "ten-thousand Buddhas" in the
Tibetan language. The Grottoes carved into the cliffs of
red sand-stones at both ends of Dasigou (valley) was first
constructed in the Western Qin Dynasty, and continuously
went on expansion on a massive scale through the dynasties
of Northern and Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Shui, Tang,
Yuan, Ming, and Qing. The Grottoes consist of three parts:
Shangsi, Donggou, and Xiasi. Shangsi were ruined by fire
and what remained are only a few statues of Buddhas. In
Xiasi, there are 34 caves and 14 niches still existing.
They contain 694 stone statues, 82 clay figures, 5 stone
carvings and clay pagodas and 900 square meters of murals.
Binglingsi is one of the ten largest Chinese grottoes.
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Cave No.171 houses the largest Buddhist
statue, 27 meters high, with its upper body carved into
the cliff and lower body made of clay. The statue seated
cross-legged in meditation on a pedestal with the right
hand resting on the lap and the left hand on the abdomen
was sculptured in the 19th year of Dezong Reign of the Tang
Dynasty (803). Grotto No.169 is the tallest one carved within
a natural cave 8 meters deep, 26 meters wide and 18 meters
high, the shape of which is similar to that of the opposite
mountain rang across the river.
The walls of the grotto are covered with niches, only 24
of which still exist, enshrining 19 stone statues and 39
clay figures. The grotto also houses the largest mural in
Binglingsi, which is still bright and beautiful in color.
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